Master Anthony to Sir Robert Plumpton

37 Master Anthony to Sir Robert Plumpton, 11 March [?1481/3] (No. 173,
     p. 112)

Right worshipfull master, I recommend me vnto you, euermore desiring
of your prosperity & welfare, þe which I besech almighty Jhesu to
mercy to his pleasure & to your most hartiest [. . .]^a ease; & also praying
you to comend me vnto my lady your moder & to my lady your wyfe.

And also praying you to be my good master, for I vnderstand a man
of Spofforth,¹ which I had his wyfe in cure, will arest me, for I can not
goe fourth of place of Master John Fous,² nor without his lordship, but
your baylaies will arest me, as I vnderstand by them þat loues me.
Wherfore I pray you take this matter into your hands, Sir; & also
praying your mastership þat I may haue a letter of this man, by you,
þat I may goe where I shall. Ye vnderstand þat I haue receved xs &
xxd, & of þat silver I haue spent xs of medcins; & also, Sir, as you &
this man agres of this siluer, what he shold haue againe, he shalbe
contented. As fast as I haue siluer I will come to you & pay you, with
grace of God, who haue you in his keping. Wrytten at the place of
Master St[eward], aleffant day of moneth of March.³

     By your well loued seruant         Maister [. . .]^b Antony^c

Endorsed: Vnto my master Sir Robt Plompton knight

     ^a ioy deleted.

     ^b Mr deleted.

     ^c Appended: Copied þe 29 of Apryll 1613.

     ¹ Sir Robert succeeded his father as steward of the Percy lordship of Spofforth, 53.

     ² John Fawkes (fl. 1494–5), son of John Fawkes, of Farnley, receiver of Knaresborough
1438, Somerville, i, 526; R. Thoresby, Ducatus Leodiensis (1st edn, 1715), 130; Pullein, 55.

     ³ The writer was probably a university-trained physician with an itinerant practice.
Under the terms of his contract with his patient, which probably defined the disease and
its cure and was entered into before the commencement of treatment, he could have
received a down-payment for medicines etc., and the rest on completion of the cure.
Patients were often extremely active, sceptical and well-informed, C.H. Talbot, Medicine
in Medieval England (1967), 138; M. Pelling, ‘Medical Practice in Early Modern England:
Trade or Profession’, in W. Prest (ed.), The Professions in Early Modern England (1987), 91,
101, 106.

LETTER XLIX.

Unto my master, Sir Robart Plompton, knight.

    Right worshipfull master, I recomend me unto you evermore,
desiring to here of your prosperity and welfare, the which I besech
almyghty Jesu to mercy to his pleasure, and to your most hartiest
ease; and also praying you to comend me unto my lady your
moder, and to my lady your wyfe. And also praying you to be
my good master, (for I understand a man of Spofforth, which I
had his wyfe in cure, will arest me,) for I can not goe fourth of place
of master John Fous,a nor without his lordship, but your baylaies
will arest me, as I understand by them that loves me. Wherfore
I pray you take this matter into your hands, Sir; and also praying
your mastership that I may have a letter, by this man, of you, that I
may goe where I shall. Ye understand that I have receved xs.
and xxd., and of that silver I have spent xs. of medcins; and also,
Sir, as you and this man agres of this silver, what he shold have
againe, he shall content him. Whatsoever of his concience he
will have againe, he shalbe contented. As fast as I have silver,
I will come to you and pay you, with grace of God, who have you
in his keping. Wrytten at the place of master St[eward.] Aleffant
day of moneth of March.
                                                  By your well loved servant,
                                                                               Maister ANTHONY.

    a John Fawkes of Farnley, com. Ebor. esq. Steward of the Forest of Knaresborough,
living 10 Hen. VII.1494-5. (See Pedigree of Fawkes in Thoresby.) In a north
window of Knaresborough Church was the coat, Ar. a [mascle] sa. and a woman
kneeling by it. Underneath, Dame Mary Faukes. (Dods. MSS. vol. CLX. fol. 186.)